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The whites of your eyes -- that sea of white surrounding your beautiful hazel, baby blue or big brown eyes-- can give you pretty good clues about your health. The whites of your eyes, technically called the "sclera", start off in life as pure white. Over time, age and various conditions assault the whites of our eyes, leaving them red, yellow, gray, cloudy or even brown. Are there any natural remedies to restore the whites of your eyes? Can changing your diet turn the whites of your eyes white again? When is eye discoloration a serious medical condition?

Many conditions can cause red, yellow and gray eyes. Some are serious and others are easily treatable.

The most common unusual eye color is red. Red eyes occur when the blood vessels near the surface of the eye become dilated and enlarged. One of the most likely reasons for your red eyes is conjunctivitis. Another common cause is eye strain caused when your eyes try too hard to focus or when they are overused from hours of driving, reading or simply using the computer. Even high blood pressure can turn your eyes red.

According to The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, conjunctivitis is responsible for 30 percent of all our eye complaints in America – and around 15 percent of us will suffer an attack of red eye conjunctivitis at some point in our lives. But conjunctivitis is not the end of the story – read on for more red eye culprits and why your eyes are yellow, brown, white or gray.

Many eye infections, including blepharitis, are caused by use of mascara and eye liner, according to several studies, including a 2011 study Led by Dr. L. Clifford of the Portsmouth Eye Unit, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Hampshire, UK.

Blepharitis is caused by an overabundance of bacteria due to an infection, dermatitis or allergies. With blepharitis you may feel like you’ve got dust or sand in your eye. Your eyes are red and irritated, the eyelids crusted and swollen. You may experience itching and burning.

Red eyes are also caused by uveitis, an inflammation of the uvea, the middle layer of your eye beneath the white. Symptoms also include blurred vision, floaters and light sensitivity. (Read more about causes of light sensitivity.)

Conjunctivitis is also known as "pink eye" although the condition actually makes your eyes red. Conjunctivitis is also an inflammation, this time of the clear layer that protects the front of the eye. Conjunctivitis may be caused by many things – allergies, viruses, bacteria or toxic substances.

When you don’t produce enough tears to lubricate the surface of the eye it can become scratched, inflamed and red. This is called dry eye. Sometimes wearing contact lenses can make your eyes so dry they become red.

A subconjunctival hemorrhage – a burst blood vessel – can be brought on by a bad sneezing or coughing fit, intense straining, vomiting, or high blood pressure and diabetes, according to a study from the Department of Ophthalmology, Kozluk State Hospital in Turkey.

Injury can also cause red eyes. More seriously, acute angle-closure glaucoma is often characterized by a painful redness that usually occurs in one eye only. Red eyes could be a sign of an ulcer or infection in the cornea, the dome-like lens of the eye.

Common Causes for Yellow Eyes

If your eyes are a yellow color, you could have jaundice. Jaundice produces yellow-colored skin, membranes and eyes. Jaundice is also a symptom of other disorders such as liver damage. It is caused by a build-up of bilirubin – yellow pigment from old blood cells – due to the liver being overloaded or damaged or having too many red blood cells to process. Yellow eyes are almost always a sign of jaundice so you need to get checked out. (Read more about causes and remedies for jaundice.)

Causes of Brown Spots on the Eye

If you’re seeing a brown spot on your eye, flashes of light or have distorted vision, visit your doctor as it may be a sign of choroidal melanoma.

Malignant choroidal melanomas are very rare – according to The Eye Cancer Network six out of every million people get a choroidal melanoma each year in the United States – and very serious as they can spread to other parts of the body.

Brown spots may also be caused by harmless productions of melatonin, like freckles, and can be prevented by wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to protect the eyes from the sun.

Many people notice a gray or white spot on the eye, or see that the eye is white or cloudy. What does this mean? Leukocoria is a condition where the pupil appears white instead of black. Other conditions cause a cloudy cornea and make your eye look discolored and “dirty”. These include cataracts, Coats' disease, coloboma, Sjogren's syndrome, poor nutrition and burns to the cornea.

On the issue of poor nutrition, many people are aware that you need to eat need carrots and other foods rich in beta-carotene to keep your eyes healthy. But most are not aware that your eyes also need lutein and other micro-nutrients found in dark green, leafy vegetables to remain healthy. (Read more about foods that keep your eyes healthy.)

If you’re worried about yellow eyes, cloudy eyes or brown spots you must visit a physician as the conditions that cause these colored eyes can not usually be treated with natural remedies. If your eyes are red, read on. We’ve had a good look around all the literature about red and irritated eyes and come up with the following 10 natural remedies.

Top 10 Natural Remedies for Your Discolored Eyes

1. Gentle Cleansing Helps Clear Red Eyes

Sometime the simple remedies are the best. According to a 2005 review by Sheikh and Hurwitz published in the British Journal of General Practice, 6% of conjunctivitis cases clear up on their own after a few days.

But you can help the process along by gently cleaning around the eye area with special cleanser or a simple warm water and baby shampoo solution with a cotton swab.

Don’t use make up or contact lenses and wash your hands frequently to avoid spreading the infection.

Red eyes caused by blepharitis also respond to daily cleansing to remove skin oils that allow bacteria to grow on the edges of your eyelids, according to a report by Ganatra and Goldstein in the 3rd Edition of “Ophthalmology”.

2. Herbal Teas Help Red Eyes Caused by Conjunctivitis

For irritated or red eyes caused by conjunctivitis, try the following herbal teas. But leave the mug on the shelf and put the tea to work directly on the problem. Apply herbal tea to the eyes using a compress or poultice.

Eyebright. With a name like "eyebright", you’d think this herb could help clear red eyes and it has been traditionally used as a herbal treatment in a tea preparation.

Calendula and chamomile. These herbs are said to have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.

Barberry, oregon grape and goldenseal. Herbs like barberry, Oregon grape and goldenseal all contain berberine, which has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties and is used as treatment for conjunctivitis in Germany.

Be careful about the sterility of the herbal tea compress you use. If your compress isn’t sterile, you risk further infection.

3. Bee Propolis Clears Your Eyes?

According to a 1985 study from Romania (led by Popescu, Palos, and others) bee propolis, a sticky substance bees gather up from trees, sap and other plant sources, is a helpful treatment for red eyes from conjunctivitis. However, with limited additional evidence and concerns about sterility when applying the substance to the eye, this bee-assisted treatment may not be the best for your red eyes.

4. Vitamins C and E Are a Helpful Treatment for Red Eyes

When the Vitamins C and E are taken together with standard treatment they can pack a powerful punch against inflammtion of the middle layer of your eye called "uveitis".

This is according to 1999 research from the Eye Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands which carried out a double-blind trial of 145 people who took either a placebo or vitamin C (500mg twice daily) and vitamin E (100mg twice daily) in addition to their regular treatment.

Those taking the Vitamins C and E had better visual acuity at the end of the eight-week study – researchers think the antioxidants increase eye health and help recovery from uveitis.

Foods rich in Vitamin C include bell peppers (these have more Vitamin C than oranges), kiwis and of course oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits.

An ounce of almonds provides 34% of your daily recommended value of Vitamin E. Other foods rich in Vitamin E include wheat germ oil (100% of the daily recommended value), corn, and various fortified cereals and foods.

Whether other antioxidants will also help clear your red eyes, like beta-carotene, citrus bioflavonoids, selenium and vitamin A, is debatable.

5. Turmeric Treats Red Eyes Associated with Uveitis

One 1999 study from the Department of Ophthalmology, K.G. Medical College, India made a surprising discovery, considering the spiciness of the herb in question. Researchers found an antioxidant made from turmeric was useful in treating red eyes associated with uveitis. Although the study lacked a placebo test group, the herb is worth considering in a preparation (not applied directly to the eye).

6. Omega-6 Fatty Acids Help Treat Red Eyes

Sjögren’s Syndrome is an autoimmune condition where the immune system negatively affects the tear glands and salivary glands.

A 2005 study from the University of Messina in Italy found treatment with omega-6 fatty acids increased the tear levels in 40 patients with Sjögren’s Syndrome, which improved the signs and symptoms, including red eyes, of the condition.

7. Compresses Make Your Eyes Less Red

Calm down and get your red eyes back to normal with a cold compress. This simple remedy helps redness disappear and also reduces fluid retention around the eyes and swelling associated with an eye infection.

Fill a clean bowl with ice and a little water, dip a washcloth into the bowl and squeeze to remove the excess water. Sit back, relax and apply your compress to closed eyes for five to 10 minutes, three or four times a day.

According to experts, if you have blepharitis, warm compresses also help.

8. Dietary Amino Acids Help Red Eye

A modified form of the amino acid cysteine called "N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)" is believed to help the body create an antioxidant that loosens the secretions that block the eye and cause redness in blepharitis.

A 2002 study from SSK Okmeydani Training Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey found N-Acetyl Cysteine at a dose of 100mg, three times a day for eight weeks brought significant benefits to the quality of the tear film in 50 blepharitis patients.

9. Flaxseed Oil Helps Improve Dry and Red Eyes?

Can flaxseed oil help ease the red and dry eyes associated with Sjogren’s syndrome? A 2007 study from the Universidade de Brasília, Brazil says "yes".

Researchers looked at 38 patients with dry eyes and surface inflammation and found therapy with one or two grams of oral flaxseed oil capsules a day reduced inflammation around the eye and redness.

10. Antihistamines Treat Red Eyes Due to Allergies

When the cause of your red eyes is an allergic reaction, your relief could come from antihistamines. Over-the-counter antihistamine eye drops are available which control the irritation and itching associated with allergies.

Antihistamine eye drops also use a vasoconstrictor to shrink swollen blood vessels, thereby reducing the redness. Be careful – these “red eye reducers” can cause rebound redness. When the effect of the drops wears off the blood vessels can dilate much more. Don’t overuse and seek advice if your red eyes do not clear up.

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